Ford’s smartphone system can alert a car owner if their vehicle is being broken into

Ford’s SecuriAlert system will allow owners of its cars to be notified of any attempts to gain access to their vehicle via their smartphone.

First released for the firm’s commercial vehicles, the system identifies if any vehicle activity – including attempts to open doors or gain access with a key – has been attempted, ensuring that owners who park their cars out of sight can still keep a close eye on them.

The feature can be armed or disarmed by using the FordPass smartphone app and, once activated, uses the car’s in-built sensors to detect if an attempt is being made to access the vehicle.

The app will also highlight the time and reason why the alarm was raised while also revealing the car’s location. It can even detect if someone tries to enter the car using a key – something many traditional alarms can’t.

Richard Bunn, director of retail connectivity solutions, Ford Mobility, Ford of Europe, said: “Whether left on the street overnight or in a car park on a shopping trip, we know our customers care about the security of their car and its contents.

“SecuriAlert builds on Ford’s growing connectivity ecosystem to empower owners with the knowledge that if something happens with their vehicle when they aren’t driving it, they will be the first to know.”

In 2020, Ford made connected vehicle services standard-fit on its European vehicles, meaning that 100,000 vehicles in the UK already have access to the SecuriAlert feature.